This project evaluates the ability of non-invasive ultrasound imaging to contribute to the diagnosis of impaired swallow and speech and to evaluate the oropharyngeal structures (tongue, palate, oral muscles, hyoid, larynx) in normal and abnormal populations. Our focus for the year was to develop, in cooperation with DCD and NCI, a method to reliably track head and neck tumor growth or tissue change during experimental treatments being conducted with paclitaxel concurrent with radiation therapy on patients with advanced tumors. We were able to visualize changes in tumor growth on ultrasound and to make reliable area measurements of area of tissue changes. We are still working on a method to deal with tissue characterization (i.e., symmetry, edge detection). Ultrasound helps to determine whether abnormalities are present in swallowing function and during laryngeal closure. We are continuing to work on a system to catalogue the tumors and to develop markers for changes in tissue. To better understand muscular coordination during swallowing, we have developed a method to simultaneously perform ultrasound studies with submental surface electromyography of the floor muscles of the mouth. We have found that there is a correlation of .99 p.>.001 between the peak amplitude on the EEG and maximum hyoid elevation on ultrasound. We have been able to determine patterns of swallowing abnormality that differ from those of normal subjects using these simultaneous methods.